News and notes from Inside IU basketball with Darian DeVries

• Alex Bozich

• 2h ago

 

Inside IU basketball with Darian DeVries returned Monday night from Hoosier Hank’s in Bloomington.

The first-year IU coach sat with the voice of the Hoosiers, Don Fischer, ahead of Indiana’s final two non-conference games later this month at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Nick Dorn was this week’s player guest.

Here’s a recap of what DeVries had to say on Monday night:

• DeVries said IU really felt like it was a must-win going into the Penn State game. He said the team couldn’t afford to start 0-2 in Big Ten play or drop a home game.

• On Lamar Wilkerson’s performance against Penn State: “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one like Lamar had the other night.” Wilkerson had 44 points, an Assembly Hall record, against the Nittany Lions.

• DeVries said he wasn’t aware of how many points Wilkerson had as the game was going on against Penn State and was focused on coaching the team. He also mentioned that Wilkerson didn’t try to force anything.

• DeVries said that Wilkerson plays hard but sometimes picks up some silly fouls. “We gotta avoid some of those cheap fouls that put you on the bench and now we’ve got to protect you.”

• DeVries on Big Ten play: “It’s conference basketball and every night you better come ready to play or you’re going to get beat.”

• DeVries said he’s excited about where this group can get to despite some ups and downs recently. “It’s our job to get them there,” he said. DeVries said IU has some time off in the next few weeks when it can focus on practice to improve. On most days, IU’s players do individual skill work with coaches earlier in the day before the team gathers for practice in the afternoon.

• DeVries said IU’s players will get four days off at Christmas to go home and visit their families. Practices will resume the evening of Saturday, December 27.

• DeVries said IU giving Kentucky live-ball opportunities off of turnovers was a major factor for the second-half struggles. DeVries said he told the team on the turnovers: “That’s 18 shot opportunities that we didn’t even get.”

• DeVries said he thought the offensive glass kept Kentucky in the game early and then it gave the Wildcats energy in the second half. “You could just feel that give them life.”

• DeVries said IU is hopeful that Sam Alexis is going to be alright. “That was one that could have been very, very bad.” DeVries said the injury looked bad on film when they saw the replay.

• Fischer asked DeVries if it is true that he’s never gotten a technical foul as a head coach and DeVries confirmed that is the case. He said he probably has deserved a few technicals but just focuses on coaching his team. DeVries said “I’m sure one is coming at some point.”

• DeVries said going into Chicago State that IU has to be ready to play despite their struggles. He said IU had a strong practice on Monday and had good discussions on what the team needs to do moving forward.

• DeVries on Aleksa Ristic and Andrej Acimovic: “They’re doing great. Both great guys. They’re fun to have around.” DeVries said Ristic and Acimovic won’t be traveling home for Christmas. Ristic is from Serbia and Acimovic is from Bosnia.

• DeVries on Jason Drake and Josh Harris: “They’re both progressing. They’re both getting closer and closer, so that’s great to see.” DeVries said they’ll be back once the trainers say they’re ready to go.

• Dorn said he started playing basketball at age 5. His father, Torin, played in the NFL and his oldest brother, Torin Dorn Jr., played basketball at North Carolina State. Dorn’s brother, Myles, played football at North Carolina.

• Dorn played wide receiver and safety in middle school but quit football before high school. He was 5-foot-9 and grew to 6-foot-3 entering high school, then to 6-foot-7 by the end of his high school career.

• Dorn on why he came to Indiana: “I wanted to go up a level and play at the highest level.”

• Dorn said it was a long journey coming back from injury but the coaching and training staff helped him get through the adversity.

• Dorn said the team is tight-knit and has a close bond. He said the team spent a lot of time together right when they got on campus and that helped them come together.

• Dorn on the environment at Rupp Arena: “I like Indiana better.” Dorn said it was a magical environment when he walked into Assembly Hall on his visit.

• Dorn said he isn’t used to the cold weather in Indiana and has purchased about three jackets since arriving in Bloomington.

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